The future of network security

Network security worries have long kept the C-suite awake at night. What challenges do businesses face and how can executives overcome them?

Emerging risks

The network security game has changed considerably in recent years and will no doubt continue to evolve well into the future. Enterprises are now expanding their networks both geographically and through a digital cloud presence, creating an ever-increasing number of new network access points and security holes.

Employees are increasingly using personal devices like smartphones and home computers to access business networks, which means criminals can now target an employee’s collection of personal devices to gain access to an enterprise’s network.

It’s a security nightmare. Personal devices generally offer poor security, making them an easy target via malware downloads, spyware or simply theft. From mobile phones and desktop computers to smart TVs and tablets, every internet-connected device offers a potential entry point for hackers to subvert.

After the latest spying revelations, cybersecurity expert James Lewis said: “You thought your technology was safe. It’s never been safe.”

Worryingly for network security staff, hackers are constantly finding new ways to gain access to data through cloud services, Wi-Fi and even mobile communication access points. Reportedly, the world’s most popular technology platforms are all under threat.

Current solutions

Adopt a network security management and control platform, which identifies users, their actions, network history, and even connected and active devices. It can also offer complete control over access points, user identity, user permissions and even data tracking. This will help deter threats that may arise from unsecure devices or device theft.

Next, take a strong approach to cloud network security. The cloud is becoming a vital component in productivity, communication and storage across the business world.

Cloud network security is currently the best way to identify and prevent threats, protect data and enforce security across every facet of your enterprise network. The most effective cloud security system will offer visibility and monitoring services across applications, users, hardware, servers, routers and branch traffic, giving your business quick threat alerts and resolution routes.

With ever-emerging network technologies and growing adversary capabilities, it is increasingly vital that enterprises stay ahead of the network security game. In this regard, it is recommended that enterprises adopt modern security, visibility, monitoring and control platforms to protect every part of their networks.